IB Chemistry HL 1.3 Electron Configurations Question Bank
Practise IB Chemistry HL 1.3 with shared SL questions plus HL extensions in ionisation energy and electron configurations.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Course
- Chemistry HL
- Level
- HL
Practise IB Chemistry HL 1.3 with shared SL questions plus HL extensions in ionisation energy and electron configurations.
Lithium and boron are elements in period 2 of the periodic table. Lithium occurs in group 1 (the alkali metals) and boron occurs in group 3. Isotopes exist for both elements.
Distinguish between the terms group and period.
Group: (elements in vertical) columns in periodic table and Period: (elements in horizontal) rows in periodic table; Allow elements in same group have similar chemical properties and within a period, atoms have same number of shells/energy levels (but number of electrons in valence/outer shell increases).
Marking guidance:
Allow groups distributed vertically and periods distributed horizontally / OWTTE.
Allow group number gives number of valence/outer shell electrons (for main
group elements) and period gives same number of shells/energy levels.
State the other most common ion of cobalt.
Co2+;
Marking guidance:
Accept +2, 2+, cobalt(II), II.
Explain why the complex [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 is coloured.
partially filled/incomplete d subshell/sub-level/orbitals; d orbitals split (into two sets of different energies);
(colour due to) electron transition between (split) d orbitals / d to d transitions / frequencies of visible light absorbed by electrons moving from lower to higher d levels ;
colour due to remaining frequencies / complementary colour seen; Allow wavelength as well as frequency.
An organic compound, X, with a molar mass of approximately 88 g mol−1 contains 54.5 % carbon, 36.3 % oxygen and 9.2 % hydrogen by mass.
X is a straight-chain carboxylic acid. Draw its structural formula.
CH3CH2CH2COOH;
Accept full or condensed structural formulas.
Draw the structural formula of an isomer of X which is an ester.
CH3CH2COOCH3/CH3COOCH2CH3/HCOOCH2CH2CH3/HCOOCH(CH3)2;
Accept full or condensed structural formulas.
Iron rusts in the presence of oxygen and water. Rusting is a redox process involving several steps that produces hydrated iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3∙nH2O, as the final product. The half-equations involved for the first step of rusting are given below.
Half-equation 1: Fe(s)→Fe2+(aq)+2e−
Half-equation 2: O2(aq)+4e−+2H2O(l)→4OH−(aq)
Identify the oxidation number of each atom in the three species in half-equation 2.

O2(aq)+4e−+2H2O(l)→4OH−(aq)
Oxidation numbers:
Award [2] for five correct and [1] for four correct.
Accept use of oxidation states 0,+1,-2,-2,+1.
Penalize once for incorrect notation, such as 2 or 2-.
State the relationship between the electron arrangement of an element and its group and period in the periodic table.
groups indicate the number of electrons in the highest energy level/outer/valence shell;
periods indicate the number of (occupied) energy levels/shells (in the atom);
Transition metals and their compounds often catalyse reactions. The catalyzed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by CuO is an example. State two other examples of catalyzed reactions giving the transition metal or its compound acting as catalyst.
V2O5 catalyses oxidation of SO2/V2O5 is a catalyst in the Contact Process; Fe catalyses the reaction between N2 and H2/Fe is a catalyst in the Haber Process; Ni / Pd / Pt catalyses hydrogenation / manufacture of margarine / addition of hydrogen to C=C / conversion of alkenes to alkanes;
Pd / Pt is a catalyst in catalytic converters / Pd / Pt catalyzes reaction of NO2 and CO/NO2 and (unburnt) fuel/exhaust gases; Accept other correct examples.
Marking guidance:
Accept formulas or names of substances.
Organic compounds have many industrial applications.
The following organic compound, X, is used as a flavouring agent.

State the name of the functional group present in X.
carbonyl
Marking guidance:
Do not accept aldehyde.
Deduce the systematic name of X using IUPAC nomenclature.
3,5,5-trimethylhexanal
Marking guidance:
Accept 5,5,3 instead of 3,5,5 do not penalize missing hyphen/dash
Deduce the number of signals and their relative areas (integration traces) in an 1H NMR spectrum of X.
Number of signals:
Relative areas:
Number of signals: 6
Relative areas: 9:2:1:3:2:1
Marking guidance:
Accept ratio in any order.
Draw an isomer of X which belongs to a different homologous series.


OR
Accept any ketone, unsaturated alcohol/ether or cyclic alcohol/ether, with molecular formula C9H18O.
Accept any correct representation including skeletal structures.
Ignore connectivity of methyl groups
An alkene such as ethene can be used as starting material for a range of compounds.
State the general formula for the homologous series of alkenes.
CnH2n
Subscripts of numbers not
essential
The chloroalkene with the formula C4H7Cl can exist as several stereoisomers.
Draw the structural formula of cis-1-chlorobut-2-ene.

Accept any correct representation including skeletal
structures.
Deduce the structure of a chloroalkene, C4H7Cl, that can exhibit optical isomerism, and identify the chiral carbon atom with an asterisk (*).

correct isomer
chiral C
Accept any correct representation including skeletal structures.
Accept any correct indication of chiral carbon.